Beep
by Kankokujinpoi
Summary: Stan gets a job, he meets a familiar face.


"Beep"

**So I wrote this a little bit ago… its just a little scene I thought of, idk why~**

"Welcome Mr. Marsh and Congratulations!" Stan's new supervisor, Mr. Courdray told him as the two left his office. Stan was officially a member of BigStuff!,, their neighborhood grocery store. Stan's mother decided it was time for him to get a job since he turned 18 a month ago. When Stan argued that Shelley didn't have a job yet, Sharon Marsh explained that Shelley lacked the social skills he had, much like his father.

So there Stan was, unsure of what workers at BigStuff! Actually had to do. Before applying for the job, it had been a while since Stan had stepped foot into the store. Their pantry at home was always stocked and if Stan did need something, usually an energy drink or pack of gum, the 7eleven was a lot closer.

Mr. Courdray was your typical middle aged man trying his best to make the most out of his horrible job in this horrible town. He was slightly balding and Stan guessed he either went home after his shifts and finished a 6 pack of beer to himself watching re-runs on ESPN or spent most of his time in his office, acting like BigStuff! Needed 24 hour surveillance.

"You're gonna start out bagging, don't worry, it's easier than it looks!" Mr. Courdray led Stan towards the front of the store where the cash registers were. As they passed Stan noticed some of the workers stop and get a look at the new worker. Some of them he remembered in school previous years and some of them looked old enough to be his father's age. Still, young and old alike stopped to get a good look at Stan, figuring out what type of person he was.

Stan awkwardly tugged at his red collared shirt that was tucked in. He hated tucked in shirts. He was also forced to leave his hair uncapped, showing how long his dark hair was actually getting.

Stan was led to a closed register that had some groceries of all types at the end of the conveyor belt. "It's simple, really." Mr. Courdray walked to the standing area that all the other baggers stood, "just keep all the frozen and cold food together and put the heavier things on the bottom, remember, don't crush!" Mr. Courdray slowly bagged the groceries in the fashion that Stan figured would be his guide throughout the whole job. Mr. Courdray dumped all the groceries out and pushed Stan towards the training station.

Stan quickly packed the groceries with ease. His confidence slightly raised, especially when he saw the smile across his manager's face.

"You seem to be doing well, Mr. Marsh! I'm going to set you up with one of our more experienced cashiers." Mr. Courdray led him to register 14. "Thank you sir," Stan replied, trying to watch baggers 2-13 and pick up any tips or tricks he could see.

Once they stopped at register 14 Stan took his place at the end of the conveyor belt, preparing to bag like the wind. It was simple, really, Mr. Courdray was right.

"You're in good hands Mr. Marsh, good luck." Mr. Courdray patted Stan's back and began walking towards his office.

Stan turned his attention to the cashier. He had his back to Stan, so it was hard to tell if he was someone he knew or an older worker. He had been counting his register; Stan could hear the coins dropping in their little sections. The guy had black hair like his own, but was a little longer, other than that he wore the same red shirt and black pants. His shirt was untucked. Stan could see a pack of cigarettes hanging out of the guy's back pocket.

Once the last piece of change was dropped, Stan heard the register pop open and shut. Stan didn't want to interrupt the cashier's counting so he prepared himself now for an introduction. Stan played with the thought in his head that this could be potentially a new friend for him.

"Hey, I'm Stan, Stan Marsh, this is my first day, but I'm sure Mr. Courdray told you that. Sorry if I'm a little slow, but I was told I was in good hands, so I'll try my best." Stan turned on his charm, hoping to prove to his cashier that he was willing to work. Maybe the cashier would put in a good word for him and he could have a raise!

"Yea, Mr. Marsh, you're in very good and experienced hands."

Stan froze. He knew that nasally voice from anywhere.

"Craig." Stan stated.

"It's Mr. Tucker to you," Craig turned around and gave Stan an eerie smile.

Stan cringed and Craig's smile turned into his signature smirk for a brief second until he saw customers walk by, and tried another attempt at a smile. "Dude, what's with the smile?" Stan was so used to seeing Craig without a smile that he wasn't sure if this was Craig's usual smile or if it was as big of a struggle as it looked to smile for Craig Tucker.

Once the customers passed Craig lost the smile once again. "Look, this place blows too much to even try to torture you with it." Craig ran a hand through his hair, "it's no fun at all, people are constantly asking you stupid questions and arguing with you about sale prices and coupon policies."

Craig flashed another awkward smile at an older lady passing the pair before going back to talking, "my advice to you is just smile and keep your head down."

Stan could not believe Craig would so easily conform to a business. "My advice to you is to stop trying to smile." Stan said as he flashed his perfect 100 watt smile to a little girl passing with her mom. The little girl began crying.

"I'm about to get in trouble for not smiling." Craig picked a piece of lint off of his shirt and messed with his name tag, "they say I'm scaring the customers, I need to be more friendly." Craig quoted Mr. Courdray.

"I think maybe the smile is what's scaring them."

"It doesn't matter, they don't give a fuck about you anyway, you might as well be a robot."

"What?"

Craig noticed a customer walk towards their line, "You'll see."

Stan noticed Craig dropped the conversation; he was ready to make Craig mad by charming the customers, something he knew Craig could not do.

"Morning." Craig said as he was rudely handed the customers frequent buyers card. Craig threw Stan a look and scanned the card, handed the card back to the woman with a polite, "here you are, ma'am." and received nothing in return.

Stan automatically noticed the sound of awkward silence.

"Beep."

Stan guessed 9 times out of 10 the customers that came through Craig's line did not greet Craig in return. It wasn't because of Craig's wet blanket personality either. Stan began to realize every customer was in some way too busy to greet Craig in return.

Once the greeting is not returned the awkward silence comes. Stan had even tried to begin a conversation or two only to be glared at by multiple customers.

The sounds of barcodes being scanned filled Stan's head.

The noise itself was bad enough, but the fact that Craig was so consistent made it worse.

"Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep."

Craig, Stan was informed on his first break, was the stores fastest cashier. That meant the busiest cashier, meaning Stan was now the busiest baggers. People of South Park knew that going through line 14 was the way to go.

The opposite side of glaring and silent customers was the way too personal customers. The other side Stan quickly became acquainted with on his first day.

"My, you two look so similar!" or "How cute are you two!" or even, "You two look so handsome together!" But the phrase that made Stan outwardly cringe was the one the boys received the most.

"Are you two twins?"

Stan hated answering because it would just launch the customer into a fit of questions, thinking Stan's answer was an invitation to get closer, more in their business. Stan had to admit, the two did look alike.

Neither boy wore their signature hats, showing their hair off. Stan;s eyes were a darker shade of blue where as Craig's were lighter, but that was something only Stan noticed.

Craig was silent besides the mandatory greeting and total announcement, change total, and closing goodbye come again reply. Or unless he was being bombarded with personal questions as well. SO far Stan learned what Craig's parents did for a living, and what his sister Ruby, who he learned was 12, was interested in.

Stan had given out similar information he was sure Craig didn't know about, but he found himself secretly finding Craig's life and family interesting.

On Stan's second and last break he joined Craig outside for a cigarette.

"This is horrible Craig, no wonder you hate it here," Stan said as he poked at a rock on the ground.

"The constant beeps keeps ringing in my ears, it's killing me." Stan continued, digging at his ear as if he could swab it all out with his fingers.

Craig faced Stan, "I didn't even noticed the beeps." Craig half said to Stan and half to himself.

"Are you kidding me? How could you not notice the beeps?" Stan was astonished.

"I was too busy listening to and answering stupid questions about the two of us, "Craig mused as he put out his second cigarette. It was the first time Stan noticed a certain look of amusement flash through Craig's eyes.

"Yea, that made it worse!" Stan bellowed.

"It's not so bad," Craig said while lighting up another cigarette.

Stan's head immediately turned to Craig, "What?" Stan searched Craig's face for a reply, "I can't stand all the questions and awkward comments about the two of us!"

Craig waited until his cigarette was finished before he answered. "I mean, I like hearing about you and your life." Stan couldn't believe he was hearing what he was hearing.

"Plus," Craig said as he stood and brushed the dirt off his ass, "They are right, we are cute."

Stan blushed, but thanked Craig for never caring enough to look for a reaction.

Stan sat up and kept his goofy smile as he began to follow Craig inside.

Craig stopped before opening the break room door, "But don't worry, you'll get used to the beeps. I hardly ever hear them in my sleep anymore." It was hard to believe Craig was showing signs of optimism.

That night Stan fought off the image of a certain raven haired boy from his dreams, not the sounds of 'Beep.'

**So the end is a little rushed, but yea. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
